Backlight uniformity on 15" rMBP

[jont-fu]

Hello,

I googled around but did not find much talk about backlight uniformity on rMBP models. My 15" late 2013 model has the Samsung display, but no apparent yellow tint or color uniformity problems. Also I don't think it is backlight bleed, as it mostly is visible in large white surfaces such as the background of web pages.

The effect is most visible when scrolling a web page; there is a wide horizontal dark area in the backlight just below the middle of the screen, as well as in the top. All my previous displays have also had similar "shadows" in the top or bottom, but this is more apparent as it's in the middle of display, just where my eyes are most often positioned when reading.

I know it's normal to have non-uniform brightness in LCD, especially in thin laptop displays. But is there much variation in backlight uniformity between panels, as is the case with color uniformity and yellow tint?

Has anyone of you returned his Macbook because of poor white uniformity? Did you get a better replacement or maybe even worse (other issues)?

Thanks

 

[jont-fu]

Here are some photos (taken with iPhone 4S, zoomed a bit in to reduce vignetting). The black shadow just below the middle of screen is somehow visible, but does not look that bad.. I did measure the brightness differences in photoshop, and it is below 10% which is probably good enough. I think the case is closed, not a biggie.

 

[johnnylarue]

I think a certain amount of unevenness in the backlight is to be expected--and from the pics you posted, at least the shift in brightness seems pretty gradual. I could live with that.

Mine (below) has an unfortunate vertical dark streak about 1/3 in from the right side which I'm constantly aware of whenever I drag a window across it or look at any solid colour. So it's brighter the middle of the display, but interrupted by that streak of "shadow"...

How much uniformity are we entitled to expect? IPS displays have limitations, after all... But I do (currently) find it kind of annoying.

I've already got a return shipping label from UPS, but trying to decide whether to stick with this one or take a trip to Lottery Land in search of the Holy Grail of IPS displays.

 

[phoneorpda]

I think a certain amount of unevenness in the backlight is to be expected--and from the pics you posted, at least the shift in brightness seems pretty gradual. I could live with that.

Mine (below) has an unfortunate vertical dark streak about 1/3 in from the right side which I'm constantly aware of whenever I drag a window across it or look at any solid colour. So it's brighter the middle of the display, but interrupted by that streak of "shadow"...

How much uniformity are we entitled to expect? IPS displays have limitations, after all... But I do (currently) find it kind of annoying.

I've already got a return shipping label from UPS, but trying to decide whether to stick with this one or take a trip to Lottery Land in search of the Holy Grail of IPS displays.

Same here....i ended up spending 2 hours over the phone with AppleCare, and obtained for them to ship a replacement before sending my laptop in for an exchange: i politely made it clear i could not be without a computer for that long and after a few transfers they acknowledged the transaction.

This way i'll have a chance to check the newer one to see if the screen is any better than mine, and decide which one to keep.

 

[johnnylarue]

Same here....i ended up spending 2 hours over the phone with AppleCare, and obtained for them to ship a replacement before sending my laptop in for an exchange: i politely made it clear i could not be without a computer for that long and after a few transfers they acknowledged the transaction.

This way i'll have a chance to check the newer one to see if the screen is any better than mine, and decide which one to keep.

My replacement turned out to be much better. Very uniform, with just a bit of backlight bleed in the top right corner which is only visible in a dark room/black screen/full brightness.

Basically, there is nothing on this display to distract me or catch my eye while I'm using it, so for me it's a keeper.

 

[phoneorpda]

My replacement turned out to be much better. Very uniform, with just a bit of backlight bleed in the top right corner which is only visible in a dark room/black screen/full brightness.

Basically, there is nothing on this display to distract me or catch my eye while I'm using it, so for me it's a keeper.

very happy for you!

I'll find out soon if that's the case for me also